Interview with death metal band from Colombia - GRAVEYARD WINDS.
Answered Carlos Zea (guitar), thank you!
Recenze/review - GRAVEYARD WINDS - Those, Who Come with the Mist (2025):
Ave GRAVEYARD WINDS! Greetings to the Colombian underground. I hope everything is going well for you. It should be, since you have your first full-length album of your career out this year. I must admit that it literally pinned me to the wall. It's dark, energetic, cutting like a sharp knife. It's clear that you've done a great job and that you have a lot of talent.
- Hails Jakub!, Cheers, I am Carlos Zea (guitar). Thank you very much for reaching out and for supporting our music. It is an honor for us to share our words with the readers of DEADLY STORM ZINE. Regards from Medellín, Colombia.
How do you perceive the new album in relation to your debut "Assault to the Coffin"? Where did you want to go and how do you think the recordings are different?
Those Who Come with the Mist' presents 8 tracks of refined, compact songwriting. We have evolved beyond previous 80s heavy metal contrasts to solidify a dark, classic death metal sound. With improved audio production and songs under 5 minutes, each track has its own distinct tempo and identity, avoiding a flat listening experience.
"Those Who Come with the Mist" has all the attributes of good death metal. For me personally, it's an album I love to come back to. How did it come about? How does GRAVEYARD WINDS compose new material?
Our music is heavily influenced by the wave of European and American Death Metal from the late 80s and early 90s, the era that defined my musical identity. The songwriting is a collaborative process: I present an initial guitar concept to Juan, and we structure the song before recording. Once the instrumentation and drum intensity are laid down, I finalize the lyrics for Mauricio 'Klisgor,' who brings them to life with his distinct vocal character.
I found out that Juan Carlos Henao "Chengo" is credited with the mixing and mastering. I have to say that the sound is literally killer. It keeps making me turn up the volume on my hi-fi system. Juan created a sound that is cruel, raw, dark, and animalistic. How was it working with him, and why did you choose him? Which studio did you record in, and how did everything go?
Chengo is a veteran of Medellín's old-school technical death metal scene and the founding guitarist of Cromlech band, active since the mid-90s. We have a long history with him at his studio, Area 51, dating back to 1999 with our first recordings for the bands Planta Cadáver and later with Yogth Sothoth. We trust him completely because he combines technical engineering skills with a deep understanding of what the band wants, making the workflow seamless and the results excellent.
An integral part and a kind of bonus for fans today is the CD. You released it on Awakening Records and it has a dark cover. Who is the author? Am I right in thinking that it represents the arrival of the undead on earth? How did you choose the motif and how does it relate to the music on the new album?
We collaborated with Carlos Jacome (from our sister band Bonestorm and founder of Creatus Artworks) for the album art. His illustration brings the title track to life, depicting the mist as a dimensional gateway. The artwork visualizes a 'monstrous procession' of eldritch horrors and lost souls entering our world, freezing the terrifying moment when the dead finally overtake the living.
I would be interested to know what the lyrics on the new album "Those Who Come with the Mist" are about. Who wrote them and where did they find their inspiration?
The band draws inspiration from classic authors of the 'poètes maudits' tradition. Based on stories, books, and poems, we develop adaptations that transcend the original references to construct our own narratives, reinterpreted through a unique literary and conceptual perspective.
I have been wandering the underworld for over thirty-five years and I go to Colombia for music because I know I can rely on it. I think we have a similar nature and taste when it comes to metal. I really like your bands and follow your scene closely. Maybe I envy you a little, because we only have a few death metal bands that are worth mentioning. How do you explain the fact that death metal is so successful in your country? How do you perceive your scene, fans, labels?
Thank you for your appreciation of our country's music. In the 80s, my city gave birth to an underground movement known locally as 'Ultrametal,' defined by its raw power. Back then, Colombia faced significant limitations, making professional gear and recording technology extremely hard to come by. However, many bands transcended those barriers. Today, technological advances have granted us access to better studios, vastly improving technical quality, and I constantly see local bands releasing high-level material.
For Graveyard Winds, the support has been overwhelming. Despite our new CDs currently being held in customs from China, 80% of the shipment is already pre-sold, a situation similar to our 2022 debut. The audience in Medellín is fervent—they buy physical formats and support live shows, especially when they see local bands working with international labels. Their loyalty is what drives us, allowing us to fund our studio work entirely through merchandise sales.
You play devastating death metal influenced, among other things, by the American school. Today, bands can't avoid comparisons, but I'd be interested to know how the idea to form GRAVEYARD WINDS came about, who was and is your role model, and where you want to take your band. Are you attracted to big international festivals, are you willing to go on tour with a more famous band?
Our influences within classic metal are vast, drawing from bands as diverse as early Paradise Lost, Decomposed (UK), Dismember, Death (Spiritual Healing era), Disincarnate, Immolation, early Rotting Christ, Asphyx, and Bolt Thrower. However, it is crucial for us to channel that classic sound without becoming a carbon copy of any single band; that would be limiting.
In fact, reviewers often struggle to pin down our style. Someone even labeled us 'Melodic Death Metal' just because we included some 80s Heavy Metal-style solos on our debut, haha.
Regarding touring, logistics are complicated since we all have day jobs. Given the economic challenges in our country, taking off for a four-week international tour would jeopardize our stability, and for an underground band, the conditions likely wouldn't justify the risk. For now, we are focusing on select weekend shows in Colombia for 2026 that don't conflict with our work and families. We are adults with responsibilities, after all
When I started my website ten years ago, I had a vision that I would try to support bands that I thought weren't so visible. To let the world know about them. I think I'm doing pretty well, at least according to the feedback. How do you approach promotion? Do you leave it to the label, or do you send CDs out for reviews yourself? For example, I buy albums that I really enjoy. How about you? Are you also fans who like to support your colleagues often? Do you go to concerts? Do you party?
We truly appreciate you reaching out for this interview. It happens often with this band: when folks from zines or distros contact us, the interaction is so warm it feels like we’ve known each other for years. That is the true reward of making music—connecting with countries where we wouldn't normally have any presence.
Ironically, we are definitely better known abroad than in our own country. Here in Medellín, we are mostly recognized within our circle of friends, though word is slowly spreading nationally. We remain very close to the local scene, constantly supporting other bands' releases, attending gigs, and hanging out in bars together. That reciprocal support is exactly what strengthens the community.
On the one hand, a band starting out today has a lot of opportunities to make themselves known, but on the other hand, there are so many bands out there that fans get lost in the crowd. A lot of people just download MP3s from the internet and instead of going to concerts, they prefer to spit venom on Facebook. How does modern technology affect you as GRAVEYARD WINDS? What do you think about downloading music, Google metalheads, streaming music, etc.?
For us, digital platforms and physical support are complementary. We rely on merch sales to fund our recordings, but online exposure is what makes those sales possible. It allows us to reach global audiences and build local anticipation, which is why our debut sold out immediately and our incoming album is already 80% pre-sold. We see the internet as a tool to expand our reach, while tangible support remains the engine that keeps the band running.
I like to ask musicians what death metal means to them. How would they define it, is it more of a philosophy and lifestyle for them or "just" relaxation. What does it mean to you? How do you perceive and experience it?
Music is hardwired into us, affecting our senses in ways that are hard to describe. For me, the raw power of metal instruments and vocals is what sparked the desire in my teenage years to stop just listening and start creating.
I treat this as a serious hobby—one that fights for space against my profession and personal relationships. I try to find a balance and avoid becoming an antisocial 'freak,' acknowledging that we need human connection. But given that my city is saturated with detestable tropical music, Metal serves as my ideal sanctuary.
Finally, a classic but important question. What does GRAVEYARD WINDS have planned for the coming months? Where can we see you in concert and when will you be visiting Europe?
For 2026, we plan to focus on promoting the album locally, as we expect customs to finally release the CD copies in January. We currently have concerts scheduled in the neighboring city of Pereira and another in Bogotá. Since the band is not well-known outside of Medellín, we hope the album promotion gains traction and helps us build an audience in those cities.
Visiting Europe with the band would be excellent, but I believe we are still too underground at this stage. The two labels we’ve worked with have done a fantastic job with international promotion, but we don't have plans for Europe just yet... perhaps someday.
Thank you very much for the interview. I wish you every success with your new album and hope that your fan base grows as much as possible. I look forward to seeing you live again and wish you all the best, both musically and personally. I'm going to listen to "Those Who Come with the Mist" again!
Jakub, cheers from the whole band. We really appreciate your interest and the opportunity to discuss our musical project in depth. We hope DEADLY STORM ZINE keeps the underground flame alive for years to come. Best of luck with your projects. Hails from Colombia, a brutal hug, and thanks for the support!
Best regards, Carlos Zea Díaz.
Recenze/review - GRAVEYARD WINDS - Those, Who Come with the Mist (2025):
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